Why are my caladium leaves curling? And what can I do to stop this from happening? Here, we will discuss the various things that can lead to the curling of caladium leaves and how to fix the problem.
Caladium leaf curls as a response to environmental stress. Overwatering, underwatering, low PH, high temperature, wind, and pests can also be responsible for caladium leaf curling. Most times, it could be fixed, and other times you've got to remove the plants, so it doesn't affect other healthy plants.
To treat it, you might have to regulate the watering, apply neem oil to control pests, or regulate the soil PH, depending on what caused your caladium leaves to curl. But to find out which solution works for you, the first step is to figure out why your caladium leaves curl.
This article would help you understand the symptoms for each of these categories and how you can help your leaves uncurl.
Table of Contents
Why Are My Caladium Leaves Curling? How to Fix It
The Caladium leaves have the shape of a heart and are attractive. They are widely known as elephant ears, angel wings, or the heart of Jesus, but they can get easily stressed if not properly tended to. In response to stress, the caladium leaves will curl.
Since many factors can stress the caladium leaves, here's how you can identify why your caladium leaves are curling.
1. Overwatering
When your caladium leaves curl downward and look droopy, then that is a sign that you've been overfeeding it with water. You'd see the leaves curl from the stem downwards and the leaves turning yellow.
To save your plant, you have to reduce the watering routine.
2. Underwatering
When your dirt is left dry for far too long, your caladium will start to curl out of exhaustion. The stems bend, and the leaves curl right under it.
Leaves would seem very dry and not mushy, as with overwatering. You can fix it by soaking the soil with water and allowing a good water drainage system so the water does not become too much.
3. Pests and diseases
Suppose you leave your caladiums plants outdoors, then overwatering and underwatering are not the only reasons your caladium leaves will curl up; pests and diseases can also be the culprit.
Most commonly, the outdoor caladium pest you should worry about are grasshoppers, caterpillars, aphids, and spider mites. With the help of pesticides and warm soapy water spray, you can get rid of the pest.
4. Temperature
Caladium thrives very well in temperate climates. And vice versa. So, in cold weather or extremely dry weather, getting the leaves not to curl up will be a bit of a hassle.
The caladium leaves in this condition are often crispy and dry or might also have stunted growths. You can avoid all that if you try to regulate the temperature, you expose the plants too.
During the day, you should not expose the plant to temperatures above 70 °F (21 °C). And at night, make sure the temperature does not go below 60 °F (15 °C).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you fix curling leaves?
Leaves curls in response to stress which could be environmental or conditional. In this article, I've provided a complete guide on fixing it when it happens.
Why is my caladium bending?
Too often, caladium bending is influenced by insufficient water or too much exposure to cold. It is not easy to tell which of these caused the bending you see in your caladium. But you should know that any temperature below 60 degrees is bad for your caladium plant.
How often should caladiums be watered?
Watering your caladium plant has to be dynamic. Caladium is a green-house plant that loves heat to a fault, but they still need a significant amount of water to survive. You should reduce watering during the fall or winter and only water when the soil dries up. In summer, increase the watering frequency and monitor the soil to ensure it remains moist at all times.
Do caladiums like to be misted?
Yes, caladium plants are of South American tropical rainforest origin. And they love moisture as it helps them produce their seasonal foliage. So, if you have them in heated home fronts or places with low humidity, misting might just be the only way you could keep your plants comfortable.
Do caladiums like sun or shades?
The caladiums are heat-loving plants and thrive well in heated shades or open Sun. However, they are greenhouse plants which means they have the features to help them thrive indoors. So, it is no longer a question of where can the plant survive but a question of where’d you like to place the plant?
